Noteworthy

Published 10:23 pm, Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Photo: Hannah Foslien

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FILE - MARCH 4: According to reports March 4, 2015, The Buffalo Bills agreed to terms to acquire quarterback Matt Cassel from the Minnesota Vikings. MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 8: Matt Cassel #16 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during the game against the Oakland Raiders on August 8, 2014 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 501435455 less

FILE - MARCH 4: According to reports March 4, 2015, The Buffalo Bills agreed to terms to acquire quarterback Matt Cassel from the Minnesota Vikings. MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 8: Matt Cassel #16 of the Minnesota ... more

The Vikings announced the deal on Wednesday, six days before NFL transactions can begin with the start of the new league year. The trade can't be completed until then, but the announcement wouldn't have been made if there were potential roadblocks for the deal.

The trade also wouldn't have been initiated had the Vikings not been confident in Teddy Bridgewater, the first-round draft pick who took over as the starter in the third game of last season after Cassel broke his left foot.

More NFL: QuarterbackPeyton Manning and the Denver Broncos have reached an agreement on a new contract for the 2015 season in which the five-time NFL MVP will take a $4 million pay cut to provide more cash for the team to do business on the free-agent market, which opens with the new league year Tuesday. Manning will make $15 million in base salary in 2015, league and team sources said. ... The Pittsburgh Steelers hopeTroy Polamalu retires so they are not forced to release him, a source close to the iconic safety confirmed to ESPN.com. Polamalu remains undecided about his future, according to the source, but he is considering suiting up in 2015 to show the Steelers that he can still play.

Women's college basketball: Lauren Hill has won an all-conference honor for the courage she showed in playing at Division III Mount St. Joseph despite an inoperable brain tumor. The 19-year-old freshman was picked for the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference's first team Wednesday. She decided to play for the Division III school despite a prognosis of only months to live. Hill played in four games and made five layups before the symptoms ended her playing career.

Soccer: A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that Major League Soccer and its players' union have agreed in principle to a five-year labor contract, averting a possible strike ahead of Friday's season opener.